Glances
by Et-impiis-lethalis
Summary: Ten K is fed up with men staring at her, and Cassandra calms him. However, they've been crossing the lines of friendship and more for awhile and sometimes, little things put you over the edge. P/S Let me know if you want me to continue!


Cassandra is used to men looking at her. The sensation of their eyes dragging over her body, despite whatever she's wearing. Addy's felt it too, and hell maybe even Warren. It feels different though, as if men somehow know her past. Cassandra wonders if they can see it on her, somehow an invisible mark left on her. It must all be in her head, because since joining the group the furthest it ever goes is looks. They never approach her, and Cassandra vaguely wonders if it's because of Ten K. Whenever they stumble upon other survivors he's at her side, and rarely leaves it. She wonders if he's caught them staring too, or if he's even aware of what those gazes at her mean. His protective nature would suggest that he's aware of part of it, and isn't willing to risk it going being lecherous looks.

The sensation she feels currently is different, and while she is aware _someone_ is looking at her it is different. Her head turned to catch a glimpse, a little surprised to see Ten K sitting in the worn living room they currently occupied. He's comfortably settled in the couch, which is straight behind the kitchen; and offers nearly straight shot view at her. Her skin bristles and Cassandra is looking down at the hot water in the mug. She had caught his eyes, and for once the shyness he was prone too was not evident in his gaze.

Whatever emotion she had caught in his eyes was new and it left her anxiously waiting for seconds to pass. Regaining her composure, Cassandra peaked again over her shoulder. Ten K is the one who avoids his eyes this time, and Cassandra is once more aware that he had been watching her up to that point. Without his gaze, so intently on her she gains a better perspective of his figure. In the dim light around them, the shadows play off different angles of his face. She is acutely aware that he is no longer a young boy, and that in fact sitting before her is a young man. The past few months have changed him, while still lanky she is aware that muscle has built up. She imagines that with a proper diet he'd be much more defined, but this look is not un-attractive.

Her thoughts could easily cross a line, and once or twice they have. Their relationship has always teetered between friendly and more, often blending into something that was undefinable. Whenever they did venture into territory that was too friendly for friends but not quite…more, they rarely spoke of it. When the nights grew cold he did not complain about her crawling under his blanket, he stuttered at first before wrapping her into his embrace. When they found some old vodka and Ten K wrapped his arm around her waist, she didn't budge from the spot. The undefined parts of their relationship were complicated, but whatever pseudo-guidelines they had were slowly deteriorating.

Maybe they weren't even in place anymore.

Snapping back to reality she finds his gaze fixed on her again, her stomach swirls with emotion. Ten K's usual bright eyes seem dark, heavy with something she doesn't want to name; but fails to stop herself. Desire. Unlike other men she's dealt with, Cassandra isn't disgusted by his gaze. Instead she finds herself unable to break the intense stare, and her breath is unsteady.

"Those guys from earlier were making comments…about you"

Oh.

 _Oh._

 _That was a mood killer._

Her lips force a smile, and her back is again turned towards the counter. "Men make comments like that a lot. Better to just ignore them" Cassandra is sure they must have been made after she left, Ten K had encouraged her to go with Addy. "It's not a big deal, Ten K. Guys must have like a sixth sense about girls who…well you know" The couch creaked as his weight shifted, small thuds echoing before his arms enclosed her sides and trapped her between the counter and his chest. " _No_. It is a big deal" His voice was rough around the edges, and his knuckles were fading white from gripping the counter so harshly. Whatever they said had pissed him off quite a bit, she deducted.

Her hands smoothed over his for a few seconds before she turned around, the expression in his eyes quite different from before. They were hard, angry almost and a tad sad. Maybe he was fed up with men leering at her just as much as she was. The sigh that left her lips was soft, the sway of her head back and forth before she looked back up. She was crossing a line again, _they_ were crossing a line again. Her hand reached behind, egging one hand to release the counter as he caught on to her intension. His palm slid against her lower back, settling against her. His gaze softened, and Cassandra took it as a small win. "Tommy, I-" He nudges her, a frown on his lips at the use of his name. Her lips curl into a teasing smile, innocent yet well placed. "Don't be upset, please" His lips are frowning, but his stare loses the edge to it. He's leaning towards her, his forehead against hers. The act is too intimate, they're on the border of that blended territory; and she's losing the fight to stop it. He never put up a fight about it at all.

"It gets under my skin" The brush of her fingertips soothes him, and the anger and discomfort he felt is beginning to melt away. Cassnadra always had this effect on him, always made him feel better. He wasn't a fan of men looking at her, let alone directing lewd comments towards her. They both knew he wouldn't let them get close to her, but it still bothered him enough to rile him up. "Just the idea that they-" He feels the anger boil up again, and his hands move until his palms are molded in the curve of her waist. Cassanda's warm breath fans his face as her nose skirmishes the outline of his own. She's quietly shushing him, one hand rubbing his shoulder while the other moves to the back of his neck.

Her touch is addicting, and Ten K greedily takes every second he can get. "Cassandra" He drawls her name out slowly, each syllable lingering on his tongue as his eyes close. Her lips are barely on his, and he's trying his best to behave. It's always better to let her lead, he's discovered. Let Cassandra set the pace, the appropriate amount of touching. At least, he tried. Despite himself his lips press more heavily on hers, drawing her as close as physically possible.


End file.
